Rock pioneer Patti Smith receives Hepburn medal

BRYN MAWR, Pa.—Rock musician and writer Patti Smith is being honored by Bryn Mawr College with a medal named after the late actress Katharine Hepburn.

Smith accepted the 2013 Katharine Hepburn Medal on Thursday night in a ceremony at the college in suburban Philadelphia.

Smith is recognized as a rock 'n' roll trailblazer whose work as a musician, writer, performer and visual artist influenced multiple generations. Her 1975 debut album, "Horses," is considered one of the greatest rock albums and she received the 2010 National Book Award for non-fiction for her memoir, "Just Kids."

The medal named after Hepburn, a Bryn Mawr alumna, honors women who change their worlds and whose work and embodies the intelligence and independence of the four-time Oscar winner.

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